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    H1 Will Not Sanction Race in Detroit in 2019
    #1
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    Noon PST February 28, 2019

    Statement of the Board of Directors of the American Boat Racing Association / H1 Unlimited

    Following the successful and competitive completion of the 2018 H1 Racing Season, H1 Unlimited (H1) and Detroit Riverfront Events, Inc. (DREI) entered into discussions – beginning in December -- regarding the sanctioning of an Unlimited Hydroplane race on the Detroit River during the third week of August 2019. Unfortunately, progress in the negotiations has not been to the level that the H1 Board of Directors had anticipated, and the parties are at a contractual impasse.

    H1 believes that the parties cannot come to an agreement that would assure a quality competition in Detroit for this coming season, and as such, H1 will not be sanctioning a race in Detroit in 2019. Further, H1 has determined that it is in the best interest of the sport of Unlimited Hydroplane Racing (including the other Race Sites and the H1 teams) for H1 to focus its financial, competitive and human resources (including its many volunteers) on those races and race sites that remain part of the 2019 H1 Racing Series.

    H1 looks forward to the opportunity to expand its racing series into new locations, including a possible return to Detroit during H1’s 2020 racing season.


    http://www.h1unlimited.com/2019/02/s...-h1-unlimited/
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    One city cut from 2019 hydro race schedule

    It looks like the H1 Unlimited hydroplane schedule is dropping back down from six to five stops for the 2019 season.

    After negotiations that began in December between H1 Unlimited and Detroit Riverfront Events Inc. became contentious and broke down, H1 decided last week to not sanction a race for the 2019 season on the Detroit River.

    Detroit’s group, I believe, wanted a minimum boat guarantee from H1 for what was supposed to be the APBA Gold Cup, where Detroit has been the traditional home of the event.

    That’s understandable.

    Last season, there were just six boats entered in what is called unlimited hydroplane racing’s Super Bowl. In the past four years, that boat count has dropped quickly. It was just 2015 when 12 boats raced in Detroit. But in both 2016 and 2017, the boat count dropped to eight each year.

    And in 2017, Detroit tried something different: run two, one-day race events in a weekend, the Gold Cup and the Presidents Cup.

    H1 Unlimited wanted full price from Detroit to run the Gold Cup. Neither party has budged.

    So H1’s board announced last week that the circuit was stepping away from Detroit in 2019, and it hoped to be back on the Detroit River in 2020.

    But if that happens, it won’t be to race the Gold Cup.

    On Wednesday, H1 announced that the Gold Cup will be raced in Madison, Ind., in both 2019 and 2020. The Madison Regatta board of directors agreed to pay the additional sanctioning fees for both years to host the Gold Cup. Race dates this year will be July 4-7.

    It will be the first time that the Gold Cup will be raced in Madison since 1980.

    Assuming all other contracts get signed, H1 is back to a five-race season: Guntersville, Ala., Madison, the Tri-Cities, Seafair, and San Diego.

    The HAPO Columbia Cup will be held here on the Columbia River on July 26-28.

    Read more here:
    https://www.tri-cityherald.com/sport...#storylink=cpy
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    #3
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    June 28 – 30, 2019 | Guntersville, AL
    Guntersville Lake Hydrofest
    Web Site | Tickets Sales | Merchandise

    July 5 – 7, 2019 | Madison, IN
    Madison Regatta
    Web Site | Tickets | Music Festival

    July 26 – 28, 2019 | Tri-Cities, WA
    HAPO Columbia Cup at the Tri-Cities Water Follies
    Web Site | Schedule (2019 Available Soon)
    Tickets: General Admission | Private Areas | Hydro Hot Spot | RV Parking | Getaway Package

    August 2 – 4, 2019 | Seattle, WA
    Albert Lee Appliance Cup at Seafair
    Web Site | Tickets | Parking

    Cancelled | Detroit, MI
    Metro Detroit Chevy Dealer Gold Cup
    On February 28, 2019, H1 Unlimited announced:
    "The parties cannot come to an agreement that would assure a quality competition in Detroit for this coming season, and as such, H1 will not be sanctioning a race in Detroit in 2019."

    September 13 – 15, 2019 | San Diego, CA
    HomeStreet Bank Bayfair
    Web Site | Tickets | 2019 Schedule Coming Soon! | 2019 RV Info Coming Soon!
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    #4
    Founding Member / Super Moderator Ratickle's Avatar
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    Wow, that is extremely disappointing. The races have been held there for 101 consecutive years, since 1916. The longest, continuously running, hydro race on the Unlimited circuit.

    Getting bad advice is unfortunate, taking bad advice is a Serious matter!!
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    #5
    Founding Member / Super Moderator Ratickle's Avatar
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    Talking with some of the teams, the biggest issue for boat count in Detroit was the lack of supporting events in the area. The teams travel, many are based on the west coast, from the Midwest Alabama and Indiana races, to the west coast Tri-Cities and Seattle races. Then, with Detroit, they have to come back 2500 miles to Detroit, only to turn around and drive back 2500 miles to San Diego.

    They need to have some foresight and work out a schedule where all of the Midwest, and any potential east coast races, are one part of the season and they only have to make the trip across the country one time.

    Just the travel costs eat up all of the appearance money when the distances are so great.

    I would assume, taking Detroit out of the equation, the boat numbers will increase this year.

    Now we have to hope like heck for good weather, no flooding at all, in Madison.
    Getting bad advice is unfortunate, taking bad advice is a Serious matter!!
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    Detroit River loses Gold Cup for 2019; there will still be a race weekend

    The Gold Cup, the Indianapolis 500 of unlimited hydroplane boat racing, will not return to the Detroit River in 2019.

    Instead, the Gold Cup will be staged in Madison, Indiana, after Detroit race organizers and officials with the H1 Unlimited Hydroplane Racing Series failed to reach an agreement this month.

    Detroit organizers wanted a commitment for a minimum number of boats, and the H1 officials couldn't agree to that.

    "So we finally just reached an impasse," said Bruce Madej, who works with Detroit race officials. "We believe that it was not the type of show that we wanted to put on. We want to make sure that we had a number of boats and competitive boats, and put on a show that would be good for our fans and our sponsor.

    "Unfortunately, we couldn't get the type of answer that we needed."

    Since 1980, Detroit has hosted the Gold Cup race 30 times, including every year from 1990 through 2014, and most recently in 2018.

    The last time the Gold Cup wasn't in Detroit was 2015.

    The running of the Gold Cup dates to 1904.

    Mark Weber, president of Detroit Riverfront Events, wasn't available for comment Friday.

    Detroit Riverfront Events Inc. still is planning on having boat racing this summer, with the dates scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 24, and Sunday, Aug. 25.

    There will be varying classes of boats and at least double-digit competitors, Madej said. Only six boats competed in the Gold Cup last summer, with only four finishing the final heat. Andrew Tate, of Walled Lake, won the 2018 Gold Cup.

    Meanwhile, discussions are ongoing between race organizers and Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers to continue its sponsorship, which it has held the last two years.

    There will be a benefit for fans of boat racing, as ticket prices will decrease, Madej said. Also, action will be condensed to about 3 1/2 hours of racing per day. It's not yet been determined what competitors will be racing for; in previous years without the Gold Cup, they have raced for the Spirit of Detroit Trophy and Silver Cup.

    Hydroplane racing on the Detroit River dates to the early 1900s.

    "We want to keep the tradition of boat racing alive in 2019," he said. "We are planning on putting on a show."

    H1 Unlimited hasn't yet released its entire schedule for 2019. In 2018, it held races in Detroit, Alabama, Indiana, California and Washington (two races).

    https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sp...nd/3181667002/
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    #7
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    Don't worry Detroit Fans you are in for a real treat

    Yes, it's true there will still be boat racing in Detroit this summer and in our opinion, Detroit fans are in for a real treat. We fully understand that change is never easy and the loss of H1 boats will in many ways signal the end of powerboat racing in Detroit. Fret not, the folks at HRL are highly professional and will not disappoint. The video clip below should put everyone's mind at ease.



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